Hidden ON HOLD
by Yin03
Summary: No matter who you are, somethings are always Hidden. But sooner or later they gain surface. What would happen then? The story can lead anywhere, wherever the heart takes you. Sometimes your Hidden self is your true self that you were too afraid to reveal. What if you met the right person? But, reality's not so merciful. SasuNaru. Slash. AU. [I might add pairings]
1. Lunar Eclipse

**A/N:** I don't have a Beta so read at your own risk. I wasn't planning on posting this but I'm in a weird place and frankly with the current fic on my mind. I don't know if I'll find time for this, properly. So obviously, late updates. [Credits to original creator for cover image art.]

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any relative characters. They're property of Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Warning:** Slash. I'm not decisive on any pairings for now except for pre-established SasuNaru. Heheh, Geek Naruto. **You no Like, You No Read!**

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 **Chapter 1** ~ _Lunar Eclipse._

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It was a typical Saturday night. People were generally hung over from Friday nights but not this blond. Naruto Uzumaki was fiddling with the phone in his hand. Silently debating if he should text his boyfriend or not. He was lying quite leisurely on his cozy couch, alone in his quaint apartment.

Empty bowls of cup ramen were strewn carelessly on the table. He took off his red rimmed eye glasses, setting them on the crowded coffee table. His laptop was propped on his lap, where he had tried to track his mobile through GPS but decided against it. As much as he was worried of his safety and whereabouts there were some lines he won't cross. That would be too stalker-ish and he didn't want to act clingier than usual. They were drifting apart as it is. It never ceased to thrust shards in his heart with every reminder.

But he was still trudging barefoot on this path, somehow holding on. After all, he knew, in the end, it was him that Sasuke loved and no one else. He would never do anything to hurt the blond, not too much anyway. Being the bastard he is, this was to be expected. Late nights, no texts, this wasn't anything to be worried over. He would text or call Naruto eventually, like he does… when he wants to hang out. A slow smile curved his lips, stretching the whisker like marks on his cheeks and he curled his toes in anticipation of seeing him again. He yawned and stretched his arms like a cat in his baggy orange hoodie covering his lean yet fit frame. Well, he had already texted him so there was no need to fuss over it.

Minutes later, he was humming in the shower, re-thinking his thoughts. It's not like he didn't notice the little things. The little things that were wrenching them apart, pulling and straining the stitches he had sewn together so carefully overtime, one-by-one. A thought – Doesn't that mean that the thread or bond binding them isn't strong enough then? He shook that thought. He just didn't want to over assume things and cause unnecessary trouble.

Besides, everything has a reason. He was lucky enough to have a lover like Sasuke Uchiha. They'd known each other since even before middle school. Naruto prided himself in being one of the few people who could see through his over appealing charms and withstand his intimidation. He was the first guy who asked out the blond after they accidentally kissed, for the second time. He chuckled remembering the accident with the water cooler. Who knew Sasuke actually had a thing for him? With all the girls following him around, Naruto would've never thought he'd go out with someone so out of his league. But it was great, in its entirety he was thankful that someone so shut-in like him got to have someone like Uchiha.

Sasuke was an ice prince, cold and known for his sheer genius and indifference to others. With his raven hair styled spiky in the back and the bangs framing his face so eloquently. They contrasted beautifully with his pale ivory skin making his genes outshine even more. It was only natural that he was the most sought after love interest in their high school. And they were just first-years, but, he was already a member of the school council. He was also part of the debate club and there were countless achievements to add to it.

On the other hand, Naruto was clumsy and stumbling on his steps. On the surface, he was not someone as striking as his boyfriend. The untimely death of his parents had led him to the path of a life in solitude but he still yearned for fun and friendship. When his parents were still alive, through most of Elementary school and Middle school, he was a ball of sunshine and bursting energy. He was still all of those things; he just didn't overexpress his happiness as usually as before. He kept to himself as he had grown too shy and aware of what people thought of him. His Godfather supported him but the previous drive of ambition was replaced with all the responsibilities that he now faced by himself. Nevertheless, at his core, Naruto was still the same person. He wore glasses that weren't really needed, he excelled in computers, he went for jogging each day at daybreak and bought groceries on his way back, fed the dog that waited for him each day. Sometimes he forgot and avoided social events but he remembered everything taught by his mom, so he tried to be on a healthy diet but sometimes it couldn't be helped because of his favourite food; Ramen. He was a heap of things that didn't really count, probably underappreciated but his best trait was his optimism. When life kicked him to the curb he had learnt the ability to get back up, brush off the dust and kick back. Within, he was still the sun, slowly emerging from his solar eclipse.

The stark difference in their behaviour was what really made him wonder about their compatibility. Sasuke knew the struggles he shared because he was orphaned at an early age as well. But, he had a big brother to help him. So they had their differences despite their understandings. Well, maybe it was better put the opposite way.

…

Naruto shut off the shower and stepped out with a fluffy orange towel around his waist. He strapped his beloved blue crystal neck lace back around his neck and stood next to the table fan drying off his spiky blond hair. He shot a cursory glance to his phone, in hopes of seeing it light up with a message alert. But there was no such light.

He blinked owlishly at the time display on his phone before it struck him. 6:30 A.M., he was late. Super late according to his schedule, he needed to hurry. Forgetting all about his half dried, dripping wet hair he hurried past the small hallway. Snatching his orange sweatshirt from the couch on his way, he didn't realize until he was the door that he still had to put on his pants. And laundry day was today. He'd probably have to take a shower again but this was frustrating. What was he thinking earlier? He searched through his hamper and found a pair of grey baggy sweatpants that he pushed his legs through and ran off faster than the wind. Grabbing his wallet and necessary things from the counter adjacent to the hallway, he hurried out locking his door.

In a flurry of steps, he was outside his apartment building. He broke into a light jog making it to Community Park. He didn't always go inside but the premises surrounding the park were enough for him. There were few people around at this time. Naruto decided to enjoy the light chill of autumn and enjoy himself as he jogged on his normal route. It was refreshing and gave him time to clear his head. Now he remembered he forgot his IPod, the one he extra slaved for at his part-time job to earn himself. He cursed silently and continued jogging for another half hour.

In between his random musings and nature sight-seeing he caught sight of familiar shaggy fur. He jogged up next to him. It was indeed the dog he often fed on his morning treks. He petted his head, running one hand through his soft white fur as the dog wagged his tail at him. He noticed something unusual; there was a collar around his neck. 'That's strange', he was the same dog. 'Did somebody—'. He sneezed just as a lone figure neared them. "Allergies?" He mumbled quietly crouched near the dog, as the white furred creature tilted his head.

"Oh no, must be the cold." Naruto looked up and noticed someone standing beside them. He ran one hand through his hair flimsily while standing up, it was still pretty damp. 'Damn.' He laughed nevertheless.

"Nah, I'm sure someone is just thinking of me…" He smiled back, and coaxed the dog to play with him who went along woofing in appreciation.

"He seems to know you."

Naruto looked back smilingly. "Yeah, I used to see him quite often and.." He met brown eyes and an angular jaw that held a toothy grin. The guy had untamed chocolate brown hair and…"Are those…" He pointed to his cheeks that adorned identical red-painted asymmetrical triangles.

"Yep, they're tattoos."

"Oh, that's pretty bold." He sounded impressed. Then the guy looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, right." He felt the gaze on his cheeks that grew flushed with embarrassment. "They're more or less birthmarks", 'definitely not a freakish accident…' His eyes keeled over to a random spot in the distance.

"Looks fierce, anyway…I'm Kiba. I saw this playful pooch a couple of weeks back and I thought of adopting him."

"Ohh, well that explains the collar. I'm Naruto." He shook hands and they talked for a short while of how he used to meet the dog which he had given the name 'Akamaru'. They both saw it fitting and chatted animatedly while the dog ran around their legs, chasing squirrels and enjoying himself.

Naruto shook his head, smiling as he jogged down the dirt walkway. He made a nice friend today and wasn't too awkward about it. He decided to treat himself to extra ramen for that accomplishment. It did help the fact that Kiba had moved in recently but it was sheer coincidence that he went to the same high school as him. He tried to keep his pace after that breather he took. Pretty soon, his footsteps led him to his next direction.

Then Naruto traced his steps to the neighbouring grocery store as per routine, he strolled through the aisles with the basket handle around his arm. He was busy piling his basket with surplus amounts of instant ramen when – a quiet but stern voice rang out.

"That's not very healthy Naruto-kun." Itachi was smiling at him from the nearby aisle that kept all the vegetables. Seems, he was doing his usual shopping rounds as well.

"Ehehe…I don't really cook that much so..." One hand unconsciously went behind his head; lightly scratching the nape of his neck bristled with fine blond hair. Not that Itachi was noticing, 'just an observation.'

"Hm, you don't even come to our house anymore. You're always welcome to a nice, hot meal."

"Oh it's nothing I got caught up with a few things...it was nothing." The blond sheepishly replied, sneaking another pack inside his basket. 'He really was thankful for the generous invitation but truth was, Sasuke seldom invited him to his home anymore.'

"Well, I hope you don't spoil yourself with your habits…" He narrowed eyes at his sneaking attempt and Naruto huffed, puffing his cheeks. He grumbled much to his amusement and put most of them back, save for 5 packets to which he simply raised an eyebrow. The blond shrugged and tossed a few vegetables into his basket as well. He bid a quick farewell and stepped out.

Itachi was Sasuke's elder brother. Naruto found him very kind and helping. He was one of the few people who smiled genuinely at him, and not just out of pity. But what was with the atmosphere in there? He sighed and trudged with weary footsteps to his apartment. Nevertheless, he strode pulling a smile, grocery bag swinging in one hand. Maybe he was getting a bit sluggish.

…

A cell phone buzzed on the nightstand of his bed. Brown eyes blinked awake. Sasuke swiped his bangs from his sweaty forehead and turned to look beside him. There was an alien presence in the sanctuary of his house. Locks of pink hair peeked out from under the cover. 'Oh, right…' He hated when they overstayed. He wasn't making coffee for anyone but he was still modest so he left her clothes at the foot of the bed. They were neatly piled, so she might get the message, and leave, promptly.

He looked again at his phone; the screen was lit up signifying a message from his blond. He sighed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and texted a response.

He walked downstairs and found his brother entering their house with a grocery bag in hand. He was appraising him with his silent eyes. Sasuke rolled his eyes, hoping the girl would leave soon and avoid him being subject to even more unnecessary condescending looks.

"When do you even sleep?" Sasuke spoke more to himself while brewing coffee for himself.

"You shouldn't become a caffeine addict, little brother." Itachi ruffled his bed-hair earning a scowl from him. "At least not on my watch…" He whispered lowly in a dangerous tone before bustling about in the kitchen preparing breakfast for them.

That sentence held a silent threat to it and Sasuke knew it full well. He just chose to ignore it, that's all.

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 **A/N:** No hate, but tell me what you think. *sigh* Give me suggestions where to lead this and I might go by them. Have a Nice Day! :]


	2. Evening Star

**A/N:** I don't have a Beta so read at your own risk. I have a feeling the titles for this fic will be celestial-based. I think I'll go slow with this fic, it's for all you masochistic readers who like hurt/comfort and angst. Heuheuheu... [Credits to original creator for cover image art.]

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any relative characters. They're property of Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Warning:** Slash. Yaoi. Heheh. **You no Like, You No Read!**

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 **Chapter 2** ~ _Evening Star._

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It was a dull Wednesday. Clouds were overcasting beautiful blue skies. Naruto was chirpy and cheerful in his blue jeans and a zipper hoodie in an interesting shade of Navy blue. Sasuke commented how his outfit was lacking the normal amount of Orange and Naruto happily showed him his fun-socks. The Uchiha shook his head and sipped from his drink, carefully keeping an eye.

Naruto felt happy as ever, he pushed back his glasses. He reminded himself not to peer at his boyfriend for too long. He'd tease him for it again. He slightly chuckled, enjoying the moment. He knew Sasuke would like this new place. It had opened just around the corner. It was actually growing into a common hangout for Teenagers like themselves.

Sasuke seemed a bit on edge to the blond. He had a slight troubled look on his face and brown eyes kept searching for someone. Which was funny because who would Sasuke be looking for when he was right in front of him? ; Hands touching his on the small table. He was wondering about the annoyed look on his face when the raven saw the earnest look in his blue eyes articulately hidden by framed glasses. His expression softened.

He asked Naruto why he thought of choosing this place and the blond happily obliged in grinning widely. It's not like he spent hours researching and narrowing down places that Sasuke would like, and then he remembered Sasuke liked Coffee. So, he spent hours finding places with reasonable prices that he could afford to treat Sasuke with the allowance he got from his Godfather, not to be a spendthrift of course. But, he wasn't going to spill all that in front of him so he pouted, looking to the side – "It's not like I was trying to impress you or anything…"

"Hn, dobe." 'Nice try.' He wondered indeed why the blond would choose such a public place. Usually they had dates at his apartment or the Uchiha's house. He seemed satisfied with movie nights on the couch with pizza or like that one time at the amusement park. He didn't keep his relationship public and with good reason. His position and ambition were no joke.

Naruto was staring down at his latte when Sasuke got an idea. The blond perked up when he felt pale hands rubbing soothing circles on the back of his hand. Sasuke's ebony eyes were swirling pools of ebbing desire. The blond was taken aback when he leaned close, raven bangs brushing his whiskered cheeks. They left a tingling sensation on his now flushed cheeks and he bit down on his lip in anticipation and nervousness. It wasn't like him to deny his boyfriend for anything like this so obviously he complied, quite favourably.

…

When Sasuke asked if they could have Coffee over at Naruto's place instead, it took him awhile to process that information. He didn't get it, until he did. Then he slowly nodded, lowering his head to hide his embarrassment. He could feel his eyes on his back as they exited the shop.

Now, Naruto was practically skipping along the streets, tan hands peeking out of his hoodie sleeves. One hand outstretched behind him, entwined with Sasuke's, dragging him along very closely. The raven was watching him with glazed eyes as he trailed ahead, holding his two fingers in his clutch. He was rambling about some new software their club was developing, Sasuke smiled when he looked back but it didn't reach his eyes.

The sky was painted in hues of dusk. In the lonely street leading to the blond's house, no one noticed him dragging along a quite pent up Uchiha. He was still blabbering non-stop when Sasuke decided he'd heard enough. Seeing the next alleyway, he took his chance and pulled him back by surprise.

It was light enough that they could make out each other's faces but it was dark enough for the occasional passer-by's to not notice them. Naruto was panting softly, he felt like his heart skipped a beat when he was pulled back suddenly. He licked his lips and swallowed, his throat felt dry from all the talking. He opened his mouth to speak but Sasuke closed down on the short distance between their lips.

Sasuke pulled away from the sudden kiss and whispered darkly, inches away from those taunting lips. "Why don't you put that mouth to a better use, Naru-chan?"

Naruto flushed redder than the tomatoes that his boyfriend loved so much with Sasuke's lips ghosting over his neck. "I can tell that you want it." He grinned against his neck and snaked one hand down to rub his straining arousal through his rugged denims.

They hadn't been intimate in a while and Naruto was very shy about the whole thing. To be fair, they had reached the third base a couple months ago and it took time for the blond to get used to it. Eventually, they did hit home run but it was an occasional occurrence as of late. Not to say that he didn't enjoy it as well, Naruto loved it as much, even if it hurt, a lot at first. He guessed that the love and pleasure overwhelmed the pain that bugged him for the following week but no mind.

Nevertheless, he couldn't think straight with his boyfriend's lips sucking and kissing at his neck; teasing his soft spots which only he knew. It was the quickest way to silence the blond's ranting as they both had discovered. Pale hands threaded through his hair and pulled his head back as he opened his mouth. With Sasuke's tongue exploring the hot cavern of his mouth, it was a strange and alien feeling but he loved it because it was Sasuke, he cherished every moment of it.

He was so lost he barely noticed when they were running, short of breath to his apartment, just a block away. They were still huffing when they got inside and the blond closed the door. He quickly removed his shoes and ran off to the kitchen, saying he'd prepare tea. Sasuke followed after with slower steps, calming his breath and took in the scene of his living room. The laptop rested on the table and empty ramen cups were lying about. He shrugged and moved to the kitchen sliding his hand around Naruto's waist who yelped in surprise. He reached for the stove shutting it off. "We can do that later." He kissed his neck and murmured against it, "All the heat I need, I can get from our bodies against each other." He ground against him slowly but sensually to accentuate his point.

The blond garbled a reply before he was pulled to the couch. He was really a slave to visual temptations. And the image provided by Sasuke had him tempted indeed. Pretty soon Naruto found himself straddling Sasuke's hips. His legs on both sides curled around his waist as they kissed, teeth clashing. They tilted heads and Sasuke tugged on his bottom lip and sucked on it before he released it softly. Naruto responded in fervour taking him by surprise as he slid his tongue inside his mouth, tasting the faint flavour of the coffee they had before, once again.

The raven tugged Naruto's hoodie zipper down, getting more access to his neck and chest. Naruto bit back an incoherent moan as he traced his tongue in a circular motion, teasing his nipples.

"Let me hear it…" He whispered lowly, licking the shell of his ear. Naruto arched his back, resting hands on his shoulders as Sasuke continued to tease him. Sasuke slid one hand down straight to his crotch, but too many clothes were obstructing his way. Ticked, he unbuckled his jeans as quickly as possible and slid them down his tan legs. The blond shifted to get them off properly. Not caring where they went, Sasuke threw them across the room, along with his boxers. He pumped Naruto's arousal using his spit as lubricant while the blond's fingers dug into his shoulders, his eyes squinting behind his glasses.

Naruto only felt happiness. He was ecstatic, from what they were doing as well as the fact that Sasuke still wanted him. He had forgotten all about the late texts and the weekend hassle. He had come back to him after all, as he wished he always would. He never wanted them to fight. He was spacing out again that he didn't notice when he was lying on his back on the couch. Tan fingers were clutching bare shoulders, and his half opened hoodie rode up above his waist. In Hindsight, he wasn't prepped well when he saw Sasuke's lean figure towering over him. He was heady with lust and his breath was ragged when he spoke.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I can't…hold back…anymore." The Uchiha had a brief thought why he needed so much prep when she didn't. He found the idea of fucking his tight ass more enjoyable of course; he was his blond and his alone. He used his spit as lube again and pushed in two fingers scissoring to stretch him, Naruto was having trouble relaxing but the raven was too blind to notice. Deeming it ready enough Sasuke pushed in slowly and tears sprang to the blond's eyes, they shut them willing the tears back. He braced himself and whispered in broken words. "Ahh, it…hurts…wwah…wait." Naruto was gasping but he knew was only halfway in. After seeing him calm down, Sasuke pulled back a bit and looked at him for slight approval. He kissed him sloppily muffling his shock and thrust in fully. Naruto dug his nails, raking lines on his pale shoulders. He breathed heavily, trying to relax himself.

Sasuke eased up a bit and set a slow, lazy rhythm while Naruto tried to loosen his hold on him. Something occurred to him then. "Sasuke, you didn't use a condom?"

"Heh..." The Uchiha was smirking sinfully, pausing between his slow rhythmic thrusts; one hand rubbed the blond's erection to full glory. He slid his thumb over the tip, smearing the pre-cum across the tip and continued pumping him while he slammed inside him. "Don't you… like it …when I come inside you?"

Naruto flushed at those words, he was too embarrassed to reply. He was taken by surprise when Sasuke decided on a change of pace. He threw the blond's tan legs over his shoulders and the previous slow pace formulated into rapid, relentless thrusts. The blond shifted slightly to fix the angle, he arched his back each time Sasuke hit that bundle of nerves inside him. Not with every thrust, but he was certain to focus on the pleasure flowing through him, fluidly but surely.

Naruto moaned incorrigibly with each beautifully painful thrust. He looked up, straining his eyes open to find the raven's eyes concentrated on something, barely opening. He was gripping Sasuke's arms tightly, as he admired his pale skin and the contours of his body. He trailed one hand over his chest, softly in appreciation. He realised his glasses were still somehow on his face so he took them off, placing them on the pushed away table.

When he looked back, blue eyes met ebony ones and they heated up. Sasuke had his own thoughts swirling inside his head; he was trying not to fall in love with the blond. He was trying his best. He increased his thrusts and pain started flooding back to Naruto's numbed senses. But, seeing Sasuke above him, slamming inside him gave him a new kind of high. He had thought about it before, and the thought of bringing stress-relief and pleasure to Uchiha always brought strange joy to him. The power to do something only he could do and no one else would, it made him immensely happy.

The slight pain and the surge of joy helped him reach his edge quicker. His eyes were crystallized with welled up emotions when Sasuke's eyes met him halfway. "Sasuke…I…I'm gonna…co" He wasn't able to finish that sentence properly and Sasuke shut his eyes trying to block out the image that just embedded itself into his head. He felt his muscles clench around him as Naruto came, spurting cum on his hand. He followed soon after, finding his release.

Naruto felt the strange sense of being filled up. He was feeling lewd but satisfied. The blond giggled with one hand across his forehead when he realised the state Sasuke was in. He never noticed when he got his clothes off, but one pant leg was still clung to his foot. 'Just how eager was the bastard?' But with that motion alone, pain shot up his spine. He calmed himself, and looked through half-lidded eyes to see Sasuke moving from his body.

…

When he woke up, he noticed he was covered with a light blanket. He smiled remembering the earlier events and he could swear he felt his ears turn red. It was still close to midnight. He shifted, wincing at the slight pain. On the table, he found a cold cup of tea and a text alert on his phone which was from Sasuke. He sipped the lukewarm tea and recalled them talking of seeing the new thriller movie next week. Naruto was extremely excited for its country release. He typed a quick response to his text.

He threw the blanket off from himself and headed to a quick shower before sleep came again. The hot water trickled through his head of hair and down his chest to the rest of his body. He idly wondered if he should try something to get himself more used to it. So he could enjoy his time with Sasuke even more. He flushed red at the thought of owning something even remotely related to a sex toy and decided to stop researching so much.

He slept easy that night thinking of ways to make them spend more time together.

…

Itachi got up from his seat on the couch, to let in an annoyed Uchiha. Although, his face said he was sated enough to not grumble when he commented on him having 'fun' at Naruto's house. The sullen raven made his way to his room, glad that there were no unwanted visitors. He slumped on the bed and checked his phone. He texted the blond; he did regret leaving early after all. He could've stayed but Itachi had seen Sakura leaving his room. That only spelled trouble for him.

He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled to clear his mind. Right now, all he needed was sleep.

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 **A/N:** Don't kill me. *cowers behind couch* This is the first fic I've posted with lemony stuff. You have no idea how I feel about even writing certain words. Now excuse me while I douse my eyes and whole self in holy water. Tell me what you think but please don't hate. I hope Naruto wasn't too Uke-ish, I tried...but because he's most likely this way I mean how I've shaped his character in this, he can't help most things. Makes me want to just give him a big hug. uwu


	3. Equinox

**A/N:** I don't have a Beta so read at your own risk. So my results were good, not TOO good but good enough to make me post two chapters at once without a full-week break. No please, No claps. Okay maybe a little. Thank you for reading. Review if you like. [Credits to original creator for cover image art.]

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any relative characters. They're property of Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Warning:** Slash. Much Fun. **You no Like, You No Read!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3** ~ _Equinox._

* * *

It was Friday night, today was the day Sasuke had agreed to watch the new thriller with him. Naruto had been excited all week for this movie. It was the best post-apocalyptic action movie he'd ever see. It had gotten great reviews, he knew from the extra hours he spent researching for a good movie. The blond shut his laptop, and proceeded for his movie date. Sasuke never agreed for movies, especially any that involved romance even so this was approved and accepted quite easily. He was still floating in the afterglow from that approval as he put on his denims and laced his shoes reaching for the front door.

Naruto paused and shrugged on his jacket from the hooks behind the door. It was the snug kind and best of all, it was orange in colour. 'Maybe Sasuke won't complain this time. Hmph, prissy bastard.' He pouted musing to himself as he locked his door stepping outside. The chill of the autumn air was quick in settling in his bones. He pulled the jacket around him tighter and zipped it up further, covering the lower half of his face and lightly jogged to the neighbourhood theater.

Normally, he would cycle his way there, but he was in a mood for idle walking so he had planned on leaving his house early. It was a 30-minute walk, couldn't be that far. He walked along the streets, white converse hitting the pavement, hands shoved inside his pockets. He exhaled softly humming a tune under his breath. Winter was just around the corner. He silently wished that it snowed this year. Winter meant starry skies and snowball fights, snuggling close to Sasuke in blankets and breathing the same air, sipping hot coco. He paused as he realised the increased probability of him convincing Sasuke to go ice skating in the newly opened rink. He rubbed his hands, generating warmth and skipped a step before he saw a couple of passer-by's staring at him. He smiled sheepishly ducking his head down, hiding it further in his upturned jacket collar.

The next turn he took brought him to the movie theater that was all the rage. He felt giddy and stared at his hands, clenching and unclenching them to remind him the feel of when Sasuke was holding hands with him. He joked every time how cold the Uchiha's hands were but found it a good thing since he could always warm them up with his own. The couple on the previous street was also holding hands; he wondered why Sasuke had stopped holding hands with him in public so much. 'Did it really hurt his Ego that much?' Naruto snorted at that thought. Well, he would make him come around, eventually, like he always does. He relaxed his shoulders as he stepped into the parking lot of the building.

He stood between an empty parking spot and an SUV; on his toes he scanned the area for a head of raven hair. He jumped once thinking he found Sasuke when he saw a shock of black hair but it was someone else. He checked his phone, Sasuke hadn't replied to his previous texts. In his mind, he knew there was a high probability that Sasuke was driving so he wouldn't notice or maybe he left his phone at home. It wasn't a new thing; the silly raven forgot it quite often. He could count on his hands the few times when he couldn't get a signal so he wanted to borrow Sasuke's phone but he always forgot it at home. So much for being a genius, Naruto shook his head, digging his heels grinning with a lopsided smile.

He looked up and caught sight of the Uchiha emerging from behind a couple of cars across the parking lot. He brushed off invisible dust from his jeans and raised one hand to wave. "SA—"

His voice was stuck in his throat when two steps closer revealed a less familiar head of hair. She was a strawberry blond with pink highlights in her hair, currently, she was dragging an annoyed raven behind her. Her hand was strung across his arm, pulling him close behind to see, according to her pointing finger, a recently released rom-com. "Wh…" Naruto's mouth was agape; he closed and opened it in silent shock. The raven haired person whipped his head to where he stood and the blond ducked behind a minivan, avoiding his sight. A thousand thoughts were bellowing a storm in his head but one spoke louder than the rest as his voice of reason. 'Please don't see me, whoever you are.' He was still whispering to himself when noisy chatter from a close distance broke his focus. He looked sideways to find two kids hiding behind the legs of their mother. They were pointing at him and making weird faces.

Naruto quickly got up, realising how suspicious he must be looking, crouching low next to their car. He was still smiling and apologising nervously as they drove away. He released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "That was a close shave."

Now that the temporary problem was resolved, his previous thoughts flooded through his mind. He dug his hands inside his pockets pulling out his phone. He turned back, unconsciously walking back to his house. He stopped, momentarily, realising what had just happened. Was he going to confront his thoughts right now? 'Probably not.' Was he going to wait out for him to exit to clear all doubts and confront him then? 'Uhm, No.'

He walked with slow steps, counting each one to avoid losing his control that was slipping through his fingers. He had yet to swallow the fact that it was not Sasuke. He was halfway home when he broke into a run. The same couple strolling earlier watched a somewhat familiar blond rushing past and they paid no mind. Everyone was too absorbed in their own lives.

…

Naruto shut the door behind him and leaned his back against it. The loud slam of the door resounded in the emptiness of the apartment. His eyes were wide and he felt like he was about to tear up. He swallowed the lump in his throat and let out a hopeless laugh, rubbing the minimal moisture from his eyes. 'No way was that Sasuke…' He blinked weirdly; his contacts came off because of the insistent rubbing. He was hoping to show off to Sasuke that he could wear contacts, normally he avoided them. He sat there for two seconds before shedding his jacket on the floor and went to remove his contacts properly.

Naruto sat on the couch with his knees against his chest and laptop opened nearby. He glanced at his phone set aside on the table; there were no replies from Sasuke. He sighed and pushed back his glasses to rest comfortably on his nose. He couldn't act foolish here, regardless of who it really was. Although, in his heart, he knew those eyes were Sasuke's alone, he was reluctant. He rested his cheek against one knee and stared at the wall, thinking it over. The scene replayed in his head.

Let's say it was Sasuke, but that wasn't a date? It couldn't be. He didn't even like girls. The girl, he recalled, was Sakura. She was top of her class in Biology. Naruto thought she was pretty but her laugh wasn't natural at all to him. She was also a part of the council so he assumed it must be something related to that. It didn't necessarily have to be a date. Sasuke didn't even like Girls; why would he even go out with her? Besides, he had nothing else than a simple glance to base his theory on. He ignored his pounding heart telling him otherwise.

'Weren't we together recently?' He was sure that Sasuke would never go out with anyone else. Unless, he was the other one…the thought of Sasuke treating their relationship as casual was so absurd to the blond that he rebuked all thoughts supporting it. He shook that train of thoughts, it didn't matter anyway. He was being too pessimistic. He could watch the next screening of the movie, with or without the bastard. If he really was being dragged along forcibly, the blond felt angry that Sasuke didn't think better of him to be informed about it. He didn't mind a friends thing if it helped the social and mental balance of the Uchiha.

Naruto got off the couch and retired to bed. His phone buzzed but to his dismay it was a text from Kiba. "Hmm," He could see the movie with him too. He yawned, stretching his limbs and retired for the night. He would deal with this later.

…

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the poster of the movie Sakura was pointing at. She had tricked him, somehow. She said it was an outing for a bunch of seniors and juniors from the council. He had scoffed at the idea of disciplined individuals frolicking in the evening or night. However, she kept bugging him all day through all his shared classes and he grew annoyed.

And what was with the indirect threats to his position and her unbelievable reach and contacts within the student body? It didn't sit right with him. But, he decided that one movie wouldn't spoil much so he grunted an approval. His eye twitched as she led him quite forcibly across the parking lot of the damned cinema complex. He patted his pocket, feeling for his car keys but found his phone missing. Did he leave it in the car? It was strange because he never left without his phone and seldom left it around carelessly.

Only, Naruto was under a different impression. He smirked recalling the times he had to lie through his teeth to avoid any suspicion from his side. Handling relationships was really taking its toll on him. He hunched his shoulders and idly wondered what the blond would be doing right now. Suddenly, he whipped his head sideways. He thought he had spotted a speck of something orange out the corner of his eye. He blinked twice, and found no one there. 'Must be my imagination.' He shrugged the girl's hold on his arm and walked on his own pace.

…

His phone rang again and Naruto clutched the pillow tighter around his ears. "Enough…already…" He was in no mood to get out of bed but Kiba wouldn't stop calling him. He had thought he could ignore it but after it rang for the third consecutive time, he threw the pillow aside and picked it up, eye twitching in rage. "This better be important, you asshole."

"Woah, someone's cranky this bright morning." His voice was dripping glitter and it disgusted the blond to no end.

"Cut it out, and get to the point, Kiba." He spoke his name bitterly and heard him gulp nervously from the other end of the line.

"Well, I'm standing outside your apartment. Let me in, will ya?" Naruto lay back, stretching his legs on the bed and sighed heavily and showing his disapproval to his friend. He muttered a final approval, before getting up because he was in mood to listen to unnecessary pleadings.

"But you know, I was surprised you didn't show up today, I thought maybe you took your rounds earlier or took a different route but even Akamaru couldn't sniff you out."

"Yeah, it…" Naruto tried to gain balance in his steps as he walked in drowsy steps. He made it to the front door. "…happens." He trailed off noticing his appearance for the first time. He hair was a mess and he was standing in a faded tee and boxers. He shrugged and opened the door without giving it much thought.

Kiba cut the phone as he was let in and took in the bedraggled look. The blond scratched the nape of his neck, signalling him to walk inside after closing the door. He spoke mid-yawn, giving him a once-over. "You look over-dressed."

Kiba chuckled pushing him toward the bathroom. "Nope, you're the lazy bum here. Just go and get showered already. I'll be here."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the comment and decided to go get ready. However, he was in mood to go to school today. No one would convince him otherwise. Because even if he did go; he'd be distracted all day with thoughts of Sasuke. He pushed away those thoughts and entered the shower.

Naruto was almost done and stood in the hallway rubbing his head of hair with a towel. He was wearing another orange hoodie except with thin green horizontal stripes near the bottom. The rest of his outfit included a white t-shirt underneath and black jeans.

Kiba sensed his presence as he was flipping through some old tech magazine on the couch, feet propped on the table. "By the way, are you up for this movie, you know the recent thriller that—" He paused staring at Naruto who stared back with his crystal clear blue eyes.

"Huh!?" Naruto furrowed his eyebrows at the brunette's strange reaction.

Kiba realised he was gaping and closed his mouth. "Dude, just lose your glasses already. I'm telling you…" He turned away to flip through the magazine pages, something odd catching his eye. "I'm telling you, with those eyes, and blond hair…you're already a potential lady-killer."

Naruto coughed hiding his flushed cheeks. "Oh, forget it. You know there's no way I'd be someone like that." He returned from his bedroom with the glasses hiding his frown which quickly vanished as he sat across his friend. "So, about the movie…" Kiba raised eyebrows at him.

"No, let me guess. Wanna ditch school today?" He flashed him one of his primal grins.

"What are you, telepathic now?" Naruto laughed quietly, his usual smile was back on his face and Kiba mentally nodded in approval. He had noticed that Naruto hadn't smiled for once this morning. He was hoping it was something temporary. Only time would tell.

…

* * *

 **A/N:** I'll post another chapter soon so don't worry about the weird ending. Yeah, DFTBA.

 _TRIVIA: **Equinox:** the time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length (about 22 September and 20 March)._


	4. Waning Moon

**A/N:** I don't have a Beta so read at your own risk. A bit later than I promised but I edited the last part at the last minute sooo... Yeah. Thank you for reading. Review if you like. [Credits to original creator for cover image art.]

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any relative characters. They're property of Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Warning:** Slash. More Hurt. **You no Like, You No Read!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4** ~ _Waning Moon._

* * *

Kiba craned his neck over the heads in line for popcorn. "Yeah, this is gonna take a while."

It was afternoon outside as both of them stood in line after buying tickets for the movie. Naruto gave a sigh of relief and content, he felt surprised that he hadn't been plagued by any negative thoughts once this whole time with Kiba. He did admit, it was difficult when they were just running around, competing for silly things, for him to think apart from the thrill in his heart. He always did find it better to revel in the moment. And besides, Kiba was just that type of a friend, he couldn't mope around him. He found it much easier to fall along his steps and laugh, just have fun.

He looked up as Kiba turned to face him. The line was moving forward slowly, he was checking his phone. "Hey, so Shino's reached. Can you locate him for me?"

"Hm? Oh yeah, what's he look like?" Naruto stood on his toes and searched around for someone waving at them perhaps.

"Just look for the shadiest guy amongst the crowd."

"Shadiest?" Naruto whipped his head back staring at him bewilderment. He turned back to search nevertheless. "What do you even..Oh! Is that him?"

Naruto tapped Kiba's shoulder and pointed to a guy with his hoodie and cap in place and wearing shades. As if that wasn't suspicious enough, he was standing in a dark corner; it made Naruto get jitters but he walked off waving to Kiba who moved further ahead in the line. He made his way to the shady guy, as he had labelled him. Naruto tilted his head in slight doubt. "You're Shino?"

"Yes." It was spoken in a gruff voice and Naruto braced himself, searching the guy for any dangerous factors. "You must be Kiba's new friend Naruto."

The blond looked at him strangely when he took in what he just said. "Wait, what do you mean new friend? Kiba moved in at the starting of this session, everyone's a new friend to him, right?" He was laughing nervously.

"Well, except I'm not." There was a brief pause but before Naruto could say anything he continued. "Why is that you ask? It's because we're childhood friends."

Naruto gave a slow nod, filing the information in his brain. "Oh, really?" The guy nodded and the blond then started rambling like his usual self. Moreover, all his hesitation gone he decided to pester him for embarrassing secrets. "So was he always like this?"

"Kiba? Yes, he's always been like this. He himself had so many crazy activities he was indulged in but he never took a liking to mine." Shino visibly sighed and the blond perked up. "Hmm, so what's your Hobby?"

"I have an interest in insects." He spoke quietly and precisely waiting for the blond's reaction through his tinted glasses. Naruto stared at him blankly for a few seconds; eventually he blinked back his initial surprise. "That's actually pretty cool!...though I find them fascinating as well but… some of them, I'd rather not go anywhere near them, at all." Naruto gulped nervously, shifting his gaze around him, watching the floor for any cockroaches. He looked back at Shino with steeled resolve. "But I think Spiders are awesome."

Shino finally responded with two nods and offered to show him his collection. Naruto agreed, but on sometime in the future. He came to know that Shino went to their same school which made him inquire about his stealth abilities. He kept bugging him like a curious kid but Shino didn't seem to mind it.

By the time, Kiba returned with two huge tubs of popcorn, both of them were easily conversing. Kiba smiled as he drew near and ushered them inside their designated hall, thrusting one tub in Naruto's hands who eyed them with a glint in his eyes. "Mmm, did you ask for extra cheese?" He inhaled the fragrance of fresh popcorn and Kiba knocked him in the head, flashing his feral grin. "Of course I did and snap out of it dude!"

…

Naruto returned home, full and tired. He had had his fill but there was always room for some ramen. He freshened up quickly and went about preparing it in limited time. He'd have to get class notes from someone too. As his surroundings set in, he realised something.

The fear that he might've ignored calls or texts from Sasuke slowly seeped into his conscious. He scrambled for his phone to find that there were indeed a couple of texts from Sasuke. He was still absorbing the shock into his derailed senses when the phone buzzed with another text and it slipped out his hands. Naruto knelt down on the carpet and examined his phone for any damage. He sighed in relief when there wasn't; he wouldn't have been able to pay for the repairs this month anyway.

He checked the texts. A slow smile crept up his face, as he told off his doubting, anxious self that Sasuke did always come around. He always did apologize for not having read his texts, because he was often busy or left his phone. It did seem odd to Naruto at times when these happened to be recurring, clashing events. But, he pushed them all aside if in the end he got to see his boyfriend smile back at him whenever they met. He felt incredibly greedy at times, wanting all his attention and love but even he knew it wasn't possible for anyone to be like that.

But, he could always dream. He typed a reply, stopping halfway. The pointer was blinking resembling a 'danger ahead' sign; at the thought of mentioning he went out with his friends for the movie he had decided to go with Sasuke for. It was unfair to him so he decided to keep it a secret. He loved that Sasuke could be overly protective and possessive sometimes but he wasn't a loyal fan of triggering something dangerous. It could potentially set in motion endless worst case scenarios.

Because Sasuke for once had acknowledged him as an equal and accepted his love for him; it was only natural for Naruto to keep their relationship from breaking apart. If it did, it won't only be his love that he'd lose; he would also be losing a dear friend in the process. He dearly loved him, despite his odd shortcomings and never wanted to lose him. This always worked as an excellent motivator for the blond to keep it going whenever he doubted their bond.

But besides all that, his time today had been fun. His spirits were at their usual high. He wondered if this was Kiba's plan all along. He shook his head, muttering under his breath. "Crazy bastard." He kept the phone back, satisfied with the reply he had typed. After all, Sasuke had fun, why would he hold back? He did admit to himself that it gave him a strange sense of thrill, but he decided to keep mum about it. In retrospect, Sasuke had nothing to complain against, Kiba was a friend and they had Shino too. He turned out to be a decent guy after all even if did look like a prowler at first glance. But he was so chill and relaxed about things in general, that the blond grew an instant liking to him as well.

He enjoyed his cup of ramen alone, and sank on the stool near the kitchen counter. He was wondering if he should go see Sasuke soon. He mused on it awhile, swinging his legs back and forth. 'Hmm, he'll most likely be at home…' Once it was decided, it only took him mere seconds to slip on his shoes, laces half untied and put his arms through one puffy orange jacket. Given a couple minutes, he was pedalling down his street, on his trusty bicycle that he rarely used. He just preferred to walk sometimes, or mostly.

He adjusted his sling bag strap and parked his bicycle, leaning against the fence. No one would steal it at this hour. Naruto ran one hand through his hair, not sure if he had tamed them or messed them up further. 'Doesn't matter.' It didn't because he'd get to see the one he loved. He shifted his weight from one foot to another, after ringing the doorbell. The huge door painted a deep shade of red was somehow intimidating him.

One confused Itachi walked up to the front door, he was planning on sleeping somewhat early. It was one of his rare days off tomorrow. Even if the idea was somewhat unsettling with his little brother shagging someone two doors down the hall. He shook his head; Sasuke was stubborn as hell when it came to certain things. Though, It still went beyond his understanding, why he seemed to hate his very existence. "Foolish little brother." He muttered under his breath, the bell rang again and his focus shifted to the newest question. 'Who could it be at this hour?'

The answer was already before him, he was just ignoring it. He was hoping that the door won't open to reveal a Naruto with that look in his eyes. Crystal eyes alight with joy at the mere thought of meeting Sasuke. He blinked away the resentment and sadness in his eyes and unlocked the door. It revealed a blond with a fixated sheepish look on his face. "Naruto!" Itachi offered him a smile and he beamed one right at him. It made his own heart wrench in pain, he couldn't bear to see him get hurt anymore. He would fix this somehow. But, right now, he had to avoid letting him in. Even as cruel as it seemed to him.

"Hey, Itachi..san," He couldn't meet his strong gaze so he ended up staring at his torso. It made him crane his neck up because Itachi was dressed in a pair of black lounge pants and his open shirt which Naruto assumed he had thrown on in haste. It made him realise, two things…First, he was late and his timing wasn't great. Although, Itachi had said he was welcome anytime, Naruto didn't want to be rude. Secondly, Itachi had toned and defined chest muscles, and his skin was too perfect to look at, similar to Sasuke. Red stained his cheeks at those remote thoughts invading his brains, he chased them away.

"Sasuke might be aslee—". Naruto already knew, Sasuke would be asleep by now as well. He was an early riser after all.

"Uh, yeah…I just realised, this really…" This was bad, Naruto could hear himself stuttering with words and spurting utter nonsense. He stared at his shoes, trying to muster up his scattered confidence. He looked up, ears perked at the distant noises coming from behind the door. The staircase was somewhat visible from his point of view. "I mean, I must apologise, this is really a bad ..." Itachi arched an elegant eyebrow and stared at the flustered blond who had turned into a fluffy ball of depression. He was still desperately smiling however, trying to form words.

Blue eyes caught sight of a bedraggled shirtless Uchiha, behind Itachi. His hair was an unusual mess and he looked distressed. Naruto's eyes widened at his sight and he opened his mouth to call out at him, regardless of the Uchiha in front of him. It seemed Sasuke hadn't seen him because he lowered his hand that was fixing his hair and Naruto blinked twice removing his stare.

Itachi was clueless for the first time, how the blond before him transitioned so quickly from excited and anxious to depressed to so shut-in. He noticed blue eyes were frozen for a bit as they stared at something behind him. But, when he turned back to look behind, he held his shirt refuting him.

Naruto found himself looking down again. "Actually..." He looked up beaming a smile so much brighter than before in intensity. "Sorry, this is a bad time. I'll be heading back then." It didn't take him more than a few seconds to get to his bike and pedal away. "Wait, Naruto!" Itachi called out but he was already gone with the wind.

When he walked back in, he only heard Sasuke's door slam shut and frowned at his own bedroom door. At least the noises had stopped, not that they were permeable to his room. He frowned and furrowed his eyebrows giving one last look to his brother's door. "What're you doing, Sasuke?" His voice was laced with a husky tone filled with discontent. Naruto didn't deserve to be this hurt. They were old friends too, how could he possibly be this insensitive.

…

Sasuke entered the door with a half filled cup of coffee, slamming it effectively behind him. Sakura shifted in his sheets and sat up one hand holding the white sheets to cover her breasts. "I thought I heard the doorbell, who…was it?" Her voice was slightly wavering because she wasn't sure how Sasuke would take it. The raven however, was annoyed and in a whirlpool of questions, effectively drowning his conscience as well as conscious. "It was no one."

There was no way he was mentioning Naruto in front of Sakura. She managed to wiggle her way through his barriers. How else would you explain him bedding the same girl thrice and even going with her to see a movie? It was fairly obvious to him now. But, he couldn't just get rid of her, could he?

"Oh, quit stalling." She tapped her chin in thought, mockingly. "Let me take a wild guess. You're not exactly super social sooo…Ah! It must be that blond lover boy of yours!" Her eyes were hard with intent.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, challenging her. "His name's Naruto." He said it like a proclamation, rather than stating facts. Besides, Sakura noticed he hadn't denied the other thing.

"Hmm, please. I know all about you." She lewdly gestured to his half naked body." Sasuke snorted in disgust. "Including your…" She scoffed at the label, "make-believe fling with …Naruto." Sasuke's eyes froze for a second, he glared hard at her. "Guys like you are so underestimating, I swear. At least make up your fucking mind." She met his eyes with a burning glare but her smile was chilling his bones. "Don't pin the blames on me, this is all on you." She twirled her fingers in strands of her hair.

"Then why even go out with me, or…" He pointed to the messed up sheets. "Sleep with me?"

Sakura toned down the previous air surrounding her. "Well, because the sex was good and more importantly, it helps me climb the social ladder." She could be chewing bubble gum right now, and it wouldn't feel out of character to the Uchiha. "Don't tell me you didn't see the same benefit, okay?" She laughed haughtily, resting her back on the pillows behind her.

"You…" Before Sasuke could begin, she spoke again after yawning. "Anyway, I'm sleepy so save the bullshit for later. And if you do need things to worry about, worry about who your blond was roaming around with." She smiled slowly and pulled the sheets to cover up to her chin and scooted to one side of the bed.

Sasuke remained fixated on his spot, on the couch. He was still processing all that she had just said. He felt incredibly helpless; he was only striving to be the best. He splashed his face with cold water and looks back at onyx eyes through the mirror. He made up a decision then, he would surely break-up with Naruto. It would certainly be less painful than him finding out. He never wanted the situation to escalate to this point. Knowing the fool, it was obvious he would end up agreeing to it for his sake. Even if…Even if it hurt him so much, and broke his heart, he would agree to go along with it for him. He looked back to his reflection, and he hated it. 'Why couldn't the dobe be selfish for once?' Filled with fury he punched the mirror but the sound never escaped the closed bathroom door. It didn't matter to her anyway.

* * *

 **A/N:** So hullo, tell me what you think. Sorry for the delay. Re-hydrate! :]

 _TRIVIA:_ **Waning Moon:** Waning Moon means the moon is decreasing in size, moving from the Full Moon towards the New Moon.  
 _(Symbolic of letting go, surrender, release, quiet time, contemplation, and a time of incubation.)_


	5. Apastron

**A/N:** I don't have a Beta but I try to minimize the mistakes. Thank you for reading. Review if you like. [Credits to original creator for cover image art.]

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any relative characters. They're property of Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Warning:** Slash. D-bag Sasuke. IDK. **You no Like, You No Read!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5** ~ _Apastron._

* * *

Naruto pedalled fast, using more and more force until he realised he had passed his block street. He pressed hard on the brakes until his knuckles turned pale. He whispered comfort to his heart, alone on that deserted street. It was close to midnight by now and he looked at the palm of his hands in the light shed by a flickering lamppost above. Desperately trying to hold back the emotions threatening to overflow, he buried his face in his hands.

When the blond had consoled himself that wailing or whining over it won't make it any better he pedalled straight to home. When he got home, he walked with sluggish steps and sat softly on the sofa, his back still hurt a little. He sat there thinking what exactly was up with Sasuke. What he saw back then, it couldn't be…he was too afraid to admit it. Right then, all his anxieties were rearing their ugly heads and he didn't have the strength to send them back.

Naruto sat there with hunched shoulders, in his jacket. He knew he shouldn't jump to conclusions but he couldn't allow himself to be made fun of this way. He wasn't stupid. He finally got up and decided to take action. First, he went to the mirror in his washroom and looked at his reflection. Weary blue eyes constricted by his glasses stared back at him. He took off his glasses and placed them near the sink, carefully and shrugged off his jacket. He splashed cold water on his frowning face and licked his ruddy chapped lips. He tried to form a smile; it was something he did even in the hardest of times.

After a couple desperate tries Naruto ended up with a sneer and broke into a genuine chortle at the silly face he was making. He calmed down a few seconds later and stared back at his eyes that were swirling with mixed emotions. He brought one hand underneath the water flowing from the somewhat rusted tap and used the water cupped in his palm to swipe back his hair from his forehead. He hadn't had a haircut in months; his bangs overshadowed his eyes if his glasses did not.

He smiled again; his hand fell to his side. A few bangs escaped from his hair swipe and fell over his forehead. He looked back to the painful smile he was stretching on his lips and idly scratched the nape of his neck. A few droplets of water trickling on his face, he sighed. "Not gonna work, huh." He exhaled quietly and lifted his flimsy t shirt to reveal some tan skin marked by hickeys that Sasuke gave him. He pouted sideways and picked up his jacket ruffling his hair back to their usual unkempt.

That night, he slept restlessly. He kept tossing and turning and ended up sitting by his window to watch the night sky. He hated cold nights like these. Even blankets were no comfort.

…

On his way to school Monday morning, Naruto slung his bag across his shoulder and dialled Itachi's number. Once he had assured him that he was safe and apologized for his rude behaviour he felt much more at ease.

He walked down the familiar hallways of his school building. The noiseless chatter droning around him drowned out his solitary footsteps. Suddenly, he was tackled to near death, he raised his head laughing good naturedly and straightened his shoulders greeting Kiba. His heart was being wrenched every moment he didn't see Sasuke but he kept it on a leash. He couldn't let himself be led too far by his feelings.

Kiba was by his side talking animatedly about this girl he had taken a liking to and Naruto could tell he was totally crushing on her. He was glad and elbowed him to ask her name. "I don't know yet." Naruto was amazed; Kiba was being shy about something.

"Can't say I'm not disappointed Inzuka..." He drawled on with a mocking sneer. "Quit being a wuss and at least talk to her." Blue eyes stared at him pointedly and Kiba gulped, pumping one fist filled with enthusiasm. Naruto paused and focused on the faces in the crowds. He thought he saw raven hair. The blond tried going in that direction with Kiba following behind closely but the bell had rung announcing the first period and people were filling inside classes. They walked alongside to their class.

Shino joined them later in history and they were given detention because Kiba couldn't keep quiet about a lot of things. Naruto sighed, mentally checking a list of errands he had to run at home. His godfather, the perverted guardian was returning soon too.

It was weird; he couldn't bring himself to smile. Whether it was just sneaking glances at the Uchiha who was surely avoiding him. Every time he tried to confront him, he either lost him in the crowd or he magically disappeared somehow. By the end of the Tuesday, he was baffled. He had agreed against using his phone because he wanted to talk face-to-face. He felt pretty confident but whenever he got close to the Uchiha his knees started buckling.

…

It was after gym class and Naruto stood leaning against a cold wall. He was waiting for Sasuke to exit the locker room and confront him there and then. But, his throat felt parched and he pulled out a can of cold drink he had stashed there for later but it as he fished it out of his bag he dropped it and watched it roll out of his reach. When he followed it, it had stopped against someone's feet in purple flats. She was clad in a lavender summer dress that hugged her waist and flowed freely down to her knees. The girl bent down and picked up the can offering it to him with blinking pale eyes.

Naruto was momentarily entranced by how breathtakingly beautiful she was. Most of the girls at his school put on way too much make-up. But she was a natural beauty with her pale smooth skin and a tight-lipped smile. He looked down and saw her outstretched hands and broke out of his reverie. "Oh, right, thanks. Sorry." The blond took the can smiling in return and turned his head away.

"It's okay." Her voice was like a soft whisper to his straining ears and very delicate. Naruto whipped his head back up from where he was busy staring at his shoes. He registered her voice but his mind was taking time. Of course he had to be an idiot at such a time.

"Huh!?" Blue eyes stared wide eyed at pale ones and flush stained her cheeks.

She slightly leaned forward her hands clasped behind her back. "It's okay, Naruto." Her blunt bangs swished with the movement and a few locks came forward to frame her face as she stood straight.

"How do you know my name?" Naruto was confused but she smiled sheepishly. "I mean I don't know yours, it's only fair if you…"

He was wildly gesturing with his hands when she replied. "I'm Hinata. We have a couple of classes together."

"Oh, well." His scratched his temple nervously pressing the cold can to his cheek. "Nice to meet you. See you in class, cause, uh…" He was slowly retreating but Hinata kept on smiling and raised her hand to wave. He backed away with his footsteps until he had turned a corner and bumped into someone. "Ouch. Hey, Sorry." He rubbed his head and stared back at his friend's surprised stare.

"Naruto, what're you doing here? You don't take P.E., right?" Kiba then gasped in mock shock. "Don't tell me! You're planning to go for the try-outs?" Naruto was frozen in spot, he couldn't blurt that he was about to catch Sasuke. Kiba didn't even know how close they were. Actually, Kiba didn't know much about his relation with the Uchiha who felt so high out of reach for him each passing day. He could feel them drifting apart. Even if he casually replied to his texts, Sasuke didn't even invite him over anymore.

But pushing that aside, he was being crunched in Kiba's grasp and before Naruto could say anything despite his initial yelp of surprise, he was being dragged to the locker room. Naruto raised his eyebrows and steeled himself for any worst case scenarios. When he opened his scrunched eyes he was standing aside Kiba and he was talking to his coach who was a crazy built guy but he was wearing funny green clothing and he practically had what you would refer to as a bowl haircut. Jokes and fun aside, there was no way he was trying out for the soccer team.

"So what do you think, coach?" Kiba smirked and waggled his eyebrows at a fearful Naruto who was sweating buckets by now. The 6 foot guy took in his appearance. The blond was wearing his usual orange zipper hoodie and denims with white sneakers. He knew very well he wasn't exactly the athletic type, he preferred to stay indoors except for his routines. The coach gave him a once over and leaned dangerously close, his eyes as if staring into Naruto's soul. "Hmm…" Naruto held on to dear life and leaned back slightly, looking sideways.

The Coach inhaled deeply and his voice boomed in his ears. "It's the springtime of Youth! Every day!" Naruto stood rooted to his spot and watched Kiba keel over in laughter and shot him an evil look. "You can join in a month, but you can practice with us anytime. As long as you're willing, we'll welcome the fire of youth with open arms." He gave him thumbs up and flashed a thousand watt smile. Naruto smiled back uncertainly, his glasses saving him from the blinding light. The coach heavily patted his back and pushed him stumbling towards Kiba who was still bent over laughing.

Naruto watched the coach go about the locker room giving a few guys personal pep talk. He didn't seem all that bad. He punched Kiba playfully and told him to get his bag so they could leave. He looked around briefly searching fearfully for a raven-haired Uchiha. He found none. 'Did he leave early?' Never mind that, he had more issues to deal with now. As they both marched to the exit, the blond could feel the judging stares he received from the people inside the locker room. He could tell, fixing his glasses upright that they thought he didn't fit in. He couldn't agree more with them.

Walking down the hallway, they never noticed a girl with pale eyes watching them leave.

Naruto went home and checked his emails to find he had received one from his Godfather who was still touring after his book release. He smiled affectionately at the screen and typed a reply. He'd be coming a bit later than expected. And that was something to be expected. He checked his phone from the table, a frown marring his face. There were still no replies from Sasuke. He was too busy to hang out that's what he perceived from his previous texts. He slept that night with knots in his stomach.

…

It was another school day, another boring week. Another day of miserable suffering until he got home or eventually the weekend arrived. He was thankful for the days Kiba crashed at his home and they would play games or just plain hang out.

Meanwhile, in school, he was simply pretending. He was pretending he didn't notice Sasuke. When he passed him by, when he was standing by the locker. When she would lean over him and whisper things close to his ear. Sasuke would smack her inappropriate hands away that weaved gestures unknowingly offending Naruto's feeble heart. He was hurting. He wanted to talk to Sasuke but why he wasn't giving him a chance, it was beyond his understanding. He had half a mind to just pull him by his shoulders in the hallway and scream out all he wanted to but he couldn't pluck up the courage to do so.

He watched them silently over Kiba's back as he stood jabbering about planning practice routines to get him pumped for the try outs. Naruto wasn't the least bit interested. He was fixated on her hand that slid down his arm, even in the crowded hallway; he couldn't look away. She was leaning close to his ear and her gaze shifted sideways. Naruto quickly turned away, avoiding her sudden gaze. 'Did she notice?'

School went by, like usual. It was Thursday and he was feeling remorse because of his lack of courage. On solitary nights he lied awake gathering his courage and thinking of scenarios where it would've gone better. Distraction hardly worked anymore, not even ramen would get his mind off Sasuke. Naruto was lying on his bed, with his arm over his closed eyes trying to block out the outside world.

The blond was thinking it had been enough already. It was wrong of Sasuke to leave him hanging. He wanted answers as much as he still wanted his company. Thinking so, he sat up in his bed, deciding to call him now. It was still early in the evening. Whether it had been a week or a couple of days, he was stuck in a cycle he wanted to break out of. He would drag him by his collar if he had to. Normally, he would've called Itachi but he was out of town for a while and there was no way he was going to see Sasuke alone. He was too afraid he'd see worse things. Things he wouldn't be able to get over.

It was too frightening to imagine. He sat up and put on his glasses from his nightstand and putting his arms through his sweatshirt, he pulled it over his head. He forgot that to put on his glasses after and as always they got tangled and ended up on the floor. Cursing his bad habits, he picked them up, checking for scratches and walked barefoot in his boxers to reach for the kitchen phone. He glanced once at the clock as the call rang. It was time.

Naruto twirled the cord of the receiver nervously and dropped it altogether when a familiar baritone voice spoke. "Naruto?"

Well, that was obvious. He didn't always use the landline to make calls. "Sasuke? Can you come over? Now?" There was clear hesitance in his voice. Something even the Uchiha sensed.

"Uh…yeah." There was a short pause. "Okay, I'll be there in 10." Sasuke ended the call, thanking the gods for a chance and hoping he wouldn't screw this one up. He had to break up with Naruto.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Apastron_ \- The point of greatest separation of two stars, such as in a binary star system. Until the Next one. Stay Curious folks.


	6. Blueshift

**A/N:** I don't have a Beta but I try to minimize the mistakes. Thank you for reading. Review if you like. [Credits to original creator for cover image art.]

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any relative characters. They're property of Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Warning:** Slash. Shounen-Ai. Angst-ish. **You no Like, You No Read!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6** ~ _Blueshift._

* * *

Naruto hung up the phone and stood dumfounded for a few seconds. 'Did Sasuke just agree? Just like that?' He was finding it hard to believe but a part deep down was incredibly happy at this revelation. He got up with shuffling feet to prepare tea for them. On a side chance, he had made a cup of cold coffee for Sasuke's preferences. At last, he crossed his fingers and sat down on the carpeted floor with his back against the couch, wondering how exactly to play out the conversation.

Naruto was still thinking over how to go about steering to the topic at hand without coming across as too harsh. It was proving difficult even thinking of it, so he gave up and sat back against the couch and closed his eyes. A couple minutes later, he blinked them awake, lifting his glasses and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Then, the shrill sound of the doorbell being rung repeatedly, buzzed in his ears. 'Shit.' He got up and raced to the door, stumbling on his way over his jacket. 'What?' He picked it up and hung it properly on the rack, reaching for the doorknob as the bell rang once more.

The door opened to reveal an Uchiha, slightly shivering in the cold with a navy blue casual light jacket wrapped around his frame. He huffed giving the blond a once over. "You fell asleep, didn't you?"

The blond chuckled with one hand behind his head. "Maybe?" He stepped aside, letting the grumpy Sasuke inside. He followed behind closely, his arms itching by his sides to close the raven in a tight embrace.

Sensing his urge, or for whatever reason, Sasuke swivelled and looked at him with one raised eyebrow. "Aren't you feeling cold, dobe?"

Naruto pouted at the nickname and spoke marching footsteps to the kitchen. "No, bastard. I'm quite cosy in my boxers and sweatshirt."

Not that Sasuke minded his attire. The lack of trousers allowed him a free view of his toned legs. The same legs that belonged wrapped against his waist whilst he… Sasuke forcefully derailed his train of thoughts; he could feel his initial resolve staggering.

Naruto's hands trembled slightly as he poured the tea into two mugs. 'Dammit.' He had goose bumps running up his arms and legs, and he was quite sure it wasn't just the cold. Just Sasuke's presence was enough to turn around his mood and transform him into an incorrigible mess. He was still struggling to contain all his emotions that were ready to spill at any moment.

Naruto sat down on the couch, setting the mugs on the coffee table. There was a questionable distance between them. He was wringing his hands in anxiety. Sasuke was oddly taken with the coasters on the table. He sighed loudly and picked up his mug, slurping the tea.

Sasuke turned his head slowly at the irritating sound and stared at Naruto who retracted his lips from the mug, inch by inch. Sasuke was fighting down the urge to smile. They both stared at each other before they broke into laughter. Naruto nudged his glasses by the crook of his finger and blinked back the doubts. They had quietened after a moment or two.

Sasuke was staring at the mug in his hands. "I missed this." He sounded so sad that Naruto was itching to close the little distance between them. But he had to remind himself, why exactly he had called him over. It was because they needed to talk, properly. Only then, could he effectively close the distance between them. With an inward sigh he finally spoke. He missed it as much as he did after all.

"Me too, but…you don't even invite me over anymore, Sasuke." He trailed off, biting his emotions at bay.

Sasuke stared back at him. "Since when do you need permission to come over, dobe?" He ruffled his hair pulling lips into a smile. But wait, he wasn't supposed to fix things. He had to break up with Naruto even if he was looking at him like he was now. He couldn't afford to break his heart even more. Then why won't the words leave his mouth?

Naruto finally looked away, he felt as if Sasuke was holding back something. "Don't call me that…" He heard a soft chuckle escape his lips. "…bastard." He smiled back at Sasuke, his eyes scrunched up. It didn't take much for the Uchiha to tell that it was a painful smile. The silence hung between them and they seemed content with it.

…

Naruto glanced at the wall clock, it was late in the evening but they could always watch a movie. He looked to Sasuke who was glum in thought. He walked to him with careful steps and tugged him by his arm. "What?" Sasuke's eyebrows knit together; adding to the confusion evident on his face.

"Come on." Naruto saddled his laptop from the table to his side. Sasuke gave him a curious glance. "We're watching a movie." Sasuke didn't know why but he let himself be led along. He had only given a grunt of a response but Naruto seemed so eager and happy he couldn't crush that. So he let himself be dragged to his bedroom where they sat huddled in his blanket watching a 90s movie he had watched alongside the same blond idiot when they were little.

Why was he doing this? What was he doing? Sitting there so comfortably with Naruto's head on his shoulder; he couldn't help but comb his fingers through his hair. He couldn't help but watch entranced; the lights from the television play a trick of colours on his face. He couldn't help but care less of the consequences. He couldn't help but stare intently at his blue eyes when Naruto looked back to him. He couldn't help but pull his cheeks and lean close to steal a kiss, ignoring his screams of protest. He always gave in; he was always, always just the same. So, he couldn't help but fall for him.

…

Naruto woke up and on first thought, searched the bed. He remembered last night and smiled. While they hadn't had sex, Sasuke had helped him get off and he had dozed off in his arms. Speaking of Sasuke, he was nowhere to be found. Naruto frowned and slipped from under the covers and walked barefoot around the house in his boxers. Sasuke really had left early.

Well, no mind. He typed in a quick text and packed his backpack; it was a weekday all right. Last night had given him a sliver of hope for their relationship. He had plans on never letting that shred of hope go. Even if most of his questions remained unanswered, he knew Sasuke would talk to him about it when he wanted to. He'd get him back for it, but as long as it wasn't anything too serious, he was willing to let it go. For now. 'Yep, that's how nice Naruto Uzumaki is!' The blond couldn't help but skip a step as he entered his school gates but the thin smile on his face quickly faded into a forlorn one.

It was gone as fast it came though. Because, he knew Sasuke loved him, even if he was by her side right now. Even if he was unexpectedly pulling a smile. Even if she was leaning over him and pulling him close. He scrunched his eyes close, too soon to watch Sasuke push her away. Naruto's eyes were downcast as he walked past them, amidst the early crowd in the hallway and to his class.

He couldn't focus on his lessons that day. Kakashi-sensei had threatened him after class but that was still the least of his worries. He was running laps beside Kiba in the grounds but his mind was still chock full of thoughts about Sasuke. He had successfully tuned out the brunette's loud ringing voice. 'Why is he shouting so much anyway?'

The answer met him soon enough when he found himself seeing stars. He sat up rubbing his forehead and looked around, dazed. "Get your head in the game, Naruto!" Kiba was shouting again, he was ten paces behind him but caught up to where he was sitting on the tracks.

Naruto shot him a dirty look. "How was I to know that they were setting up these goalposts so early? The soccer tournament doesn't start in a month or so." He was pointing accusingly at the metal posts fixed on their multipurpose school ground.

"Practice, dude. PRACTICE!" Kiba chuckled patting his shoulder and offered him a hand but Naruto eyed it doubtfully, smacking it away and stuck out his tongue.

"You could've warned me..." He muttered half-heartedly, dusting his clothes as he got up.

"Yeah, I did. I was shouting but you just kept running straight ahead." Naruto looked away scratching his head unconsciously. "Ignoring just about everything I said…"

"Oh." 'Damn that Sasuke.' Kiba kept quiet but he noticed Naruto was zoning out again.

"Yeah, OH!" He stepped close to Naruto with an evil smirk unseen by blue eyes.

Kiba pinched and twisted Naruto's nipples through his sweaty jersey and ran faster than the wind with screaming laughter. "THAT'S WHAT YOU GET!"

"KIBA! WHAT THE FUCK! OWW!" Naruto pressed the palms of his hands against his chest for short-lived comfort against the stinging pain and ran after the escaping convict. He sure had it coming.

…

He couldn't believe himself, but Naruto was really stalking Sasuke now. So it was true, he had gotten it from his very reliable sources. Sasuke was apparently 'dating' Sakura. Did he honestly think he wouldn't find out about it? Naruto wanted to think he was wrong; the worries had him drawing blood from his chapped lips. Well, they weren't really dating, he could tell as much. From sneaking around parking lots and hiding behind café menus. He knew that Sasuke was only entertaining her fantasy, but, Why? He couldn't even stalk properly with Kiba at his heels, who had no idea of his sexual orientation or his relationship with Sasuke.

Naruto was plagued with questions when he went to practice for try outs, walked the streets, when he hit the sack or when he woke up and occasionally put on his contacts for his morning routines. He had been trying them out in short durations, with or without the overfriendly advice from Kiba. He still refused to wear them to school though; he truly didn't need any extra attention drawn to his anxious self.

It was about to be a week, since when, he couldn't remember. Three months from his godfather's homecoming and a couple days from Itachi's. Well, at the very least, they could present him a home-cooked meal sans the effort he did himself every day. Thinking along those lines, Naruto had dragged Sasuke to his apartment again to plan out things.

He was sitting with his arms across his chest and huffing silently. "What is it now?"

"Could you be more enthusiastic?" Naruto was getting annoyed by Sasuke's attitude. First off, he wasn't fully honest with him. Never mind that, this was about his brother, the same brother who slaved each day to put food on the table, the same one who was always looking out for him. Itachi was the best big brother anyone could have. It was a universal fact.

But then, why did Sasuke act like a fuming hissy cat each time his name was mentioned? "Hmpf." He sat down on the couch with an equally grumpy face, mirroring Sasuke's moves. The raven gave up after Naruto started a staring contest. He couldn't tell if he was cheating through his glasses anyway.

Much to his confoundedness, Naruto was immune to his glares and used to his grouchy attitude. Pretty soon, he was sitting shoulder-to-shoulder beside him, his laptop in their lap. Naruto was pointing out potential gifts and dish ideas. "Hey! Wait! What about that one?" Naruto frowned, inching close and pointing at a certain object that Sasuke quickly scrolled past on the screen.

"Yeah, No." Sasuke shoved him back by his hand and the blond fell back on the couch. He sulked quietly but sprang back quickly when Sasuke spoke again. "This is more like it." Naruto squinted at the screen.

"Why is that any better than what I chose?" Naruto puffed his cheeks angrily. The traditional whatever dish couldn't possibly be better than what he had picked earlier.

"Because, this is supposed to be for Itachi." He spoke pointedly.

Naruto turned his eyes away grumbling about the awesomeness of ramen which could be cooked in many different ways.

"And…" Sasuke was speaking quietly now, so the blond perked his ears, straining to make out the words. "…last I checked, his favorite was still omusubi with konbu and cabbage…" Sasuke was still scrolling down the screen, his eyes were fixated elsewhere.

"Eh? Onigiri!" Naruto was too busy staring at Sasuke to watch what he spoke.

"Hn." The grunt of a response may have been less than satisfactory for most people but Naruto knew that behind his non-caring façade, he did care for his brother. After all, he still remembered what he liked best. A slow smile curved his lips as he hugged Sasuke who pushed him away ruthlessly.

'Traditional Japanese cuisine, eh? Ramen qualifies as that too…' Naruto was watching Sasuke bookmark a few how-to pages from various websites. But was rice balls all Itachi liked? Wait… "Hmm. I thought he liked Dangos!?"

Sasuke spoke curtly, eyes still glued to the screen. "Yeah for desserts but like I said…"

"HEY! Then why don't we just give him a bento? Baka-suke…" He poked the raven to elicit a response.

Sasuke didn't mind the interruption or the rude-names…anything as long as he didn't have to speak while looking him right in his innocent, ocean eyes. He could feel his questioning gaze on him and he would admit he was wrong in doing so, but he didn't know what course of action would turn out better. Most of them ended up with a blond in tears and he didn't want that.

"Usuratonkachi, feel free to give it to him. I'm getting late, let me go…" Sasuke shoved off his elbow that Naruto had propped on his shoulder and got up from the couch. He stretched his limbs, raising arms above his head after depositing the laptop in Naruto's lap. The blond didn't make any sudden movements, he was awfully quiet.

Sasuke decided to take the chance, as given. If he left now, he'd regret it less later on. "If you need help, call me but don't come knocking on my door over every little thing." He headed for the front door, pulling on his shoes. Naruto waved one hand from the couch where he lay in good comfort. Surprisingly, he hadn't said much. But he could think it over later. "…Bye."

Sasuke shut the door softly behind him and exhaled loudly. 'What was that?' It wasn't like Naruto to not retort and act quiet. Did he push too hard? He got home with a deeper frown than usual and decided to sleep on it.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Blueshift:_ _A shift in the lines of an object's spectrum toward the blue end. Blueshift indicates that an object is moving toward the observer. The larger the blueshift, the faster the object is moving._

Yeah, until I get done with my college admissions...expect updates to be abit slow. But after that, no stopping me! XD

Well, thanks for reading. Stay Curious folks.

...

 _NEXT CHAPTER: Itachi's back in town but what's this he sees? Sasuke and Naruto fighting, well, maybe he can fix it? Or did he make it worse? Also, try outs startt next week, do you think Naru-chan will make it? Kiba is pumped and so are the few people who watch from the bleachers. Until next time..._


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